Lawn and hedge trimmer



12, 1950 J. B. ST. GERMAIN LAWN AND HEDGE TRIMMER Filed Oct. 4, 1948 Jean Bapfisfe St. Germain Patented Sept. 12, 1950 U T A S PA ENT] FF C j p 2522;070

LAWN AND HEDGE TRIMMER Jean Baptiste St/Germain, unseen, 12,1. -{\pplicaticin October 4, 1948, Serial No. 52,638

The present invention bringing thestated teeth in embracing relation with hedge twigs, the latter may be readily and cleanly severed.

It is evident from the preceding statement of the invention that I am familiar with tools and implements in the category under advisement. For example, I have knowledge-of atrimmer, structurally similar to mine, disclosed in a patent to O. C, Beloin, October 21; 1930 under 1,778,995. Beloins patented trimmer has to do witha relatively stationary blade unit or cutter bar having a plurality of spaced teeth adapted pto receive projecting hedg twigs, there being a fixed guide or equivalent means attached to said blade unit, a rigid right angularly disposedcentrally positioned handle or hand grip carried by said unit,-

a single slidable or reciprocable cutter unit slidably mounted on the guidemeans andhaving a handle arrangement, properly cushioned, which serves to slide the cutter unit back and forth and to bring the cutting blades into severing relation with the teeth on'the blade unit. The difiiculty" with trimmers in this particular field is that they are comparatively heavy and it is generally necessary to hold the entire weight of the trimmer with one hand, say the left hand, and to grasp the other handle in the right hand and to thus reciprocate the cutter unit back and forth with considerabl rapidity to attain wanted ends. To say the least, it is difficult in thus using such a tririirner to achieve the'desired ends without tiring out quickly and without having the tool tend to turn in the left hand, only to cause irregular and gouging cuts. The principal object of the invention is to improve upon the above mentioned patent and others inthe same lineof endeavor by providing a flat plate which is of sufiicient area that it constitutes a bed plate or adapter and is designed to rest on the ground, or directly on the parts of the bush being acted on in order to support the bulk of the weight and to permit the user to attain desired ends in a substantially tireless manner. Due to the fact that reciprocatory trimmers in this category relates to manually held and actuated trimmers especially adapted for:

1 Claim. (01. 3-0-7209) work .fast, compared to cutters, they are highly desirable for use and whatwith the poise and balance attainable with my improved weight supporting adapter, I consider mylimproved trimmer a worthy contribution to this line of endeavor.

More specifically, in carrying out the principles ofythe present invention, I provide a multiple toothed cutter bar, mount a guid track rigidly on the main bar portion, provide a novel sliding shoe and slidably mount same on said track, said shoe carrying a double-edged cutter unit cooperable with the cutter teeth. A handle rod is connected to the shoe, provided with a hand grip and slidably guided andthc significantfactor is a suitably shaped and arranged plate mounted rigidly on the cutter bar and serving as the weight supporting adapter.

Other objects, structural features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following descriptionand the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In-the drawings, wherein. like numerals are employed to'designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hedge trimmer constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section on the plane of the line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross sectiononthe line S c-3 of Figure 1, looking'in the direction of the arrows. 1

Referring now to the drawings by distinguishing reference numerals and lead lines, the numeral 5 designates an essential unit of the overall assemblage which may be conveniently referred to as a cutter bar. This comprises a rigid metal or equivalent rectangular bar 5 provided along one edge with longitudinally spaced'equidistant and suitably pointed teeth I. Th unit 5 is: provided with relatively fixed guide means which takes the formof'a guide track. The latter comprises a bottom strip 8 and a complemental wider strip 9 superimposed thereon with its longitudinal edges overhanging and projecting beyond the longitudinal edges of th strip 8. The strips 8 and 9 arefastened by "screws or equivalent fastenings I B to the bar '6. One of the screws is suitably lengthened and has the additional or third function of securing an L-shaped block H to one end, that is the left hand end, of the track. This block has an outstanding or lateral portion which is bifurcated and the furcations are denoted at I2 and provide a guide scissor type trimmers and for a cylindrical rod l3 and also serve to pivotally mount a guide roller I4 in place. A relatively stationary handle i5 is provided and includes a shank portion It rigidly secured to the central area of said bar 6, on the edge opposite to the edge carrying the teeth 1. The shank is provided with a hand grip I! of suitable size and shape. The adapter unit is denoted by the numeral land asstated is in the. natureof. a. bed plate, the, s anre being, fiat and 101" appropriate dimensions and securely fastened to the underside of the bar 6. hand edges of the bar 6 as shown in Figures 1 and 2 in a plane with the bottom surface oiisaid bar, that is, the bottom as seeniin. the drawings,

Thus, the plate is of a length commensurate with the length of the unit 5 and "it .isvpreierably It. extends out from the left v of the hand grip 39 and pulls the rod l3 back and forth, causing the shoe and double cutter blade to'come into eflective cutting relation with theteeth I. .It follows that the twigs or other ends a'cted'on are quickly and cleanly severed.

divided by a V-shaped notch l9 into dup icate wings 29. These wings in practice, are placed upon and supported by the bush, hedge, or other surface'bein'g trimmed. I'f the tool" is usedfor edging' lawns, the-adapterplate-or unit l8 rests upon the gfround',orwalkway as "the casemay be. Thisobviously permits the bed plate to function as asortofa sled-arid*allows the device to be slid along the edge of thewalkway while" the trim ini'ngand cutting operation is being attended to. The same principle is achieved when the adapter plate 'is'allowedto be brought to rest upon the top of-a' hedge. Manifestly, bythus distributing and supporting the load o'fthe trimmerpit can beware successfully and' nicely handled.

The tun-01* principal" unit-is the reciprocable' cutter"i1nit' denoted" by the numeral 2|. "This comprises'a' suitably shaped casting 22 ('seeFiguresl' and-2)Asai'd castinghaving' an extension at one end' as at 23 to accommodate bolts24 and 25 with accompanying nuts ZGwarid T21 which serve'to secure in *place'the doubleedgcd cutter blade 28'.

The body portion of the shoe, denoted at 29, is provided with guide grooves 30 alndSl which arein parallelism and which serve to receive the edge portions of the track strip 9- and also serve to key the shoe to the track. A stabilizer 32 forms a, part of the casting or shoe and this glides back and forthonihesmdoth surfaced bar 6. The numeral 33 designates a boss and 34 a set screw whi'cli isthreaded in awscrewthreaded hole provided in the boss and is'ad'apted to be fastened: agains'tthe track strip 'Q to lock the unit 2! againstmovement-'in relation tothe other two units 5 and [8, when the trimmer is not'in use. Re'Verting' tothe handle means for the: cutter' unit 21; this I comprises the z'aforementioned' rod* if3-,xthe :same 'ha-vinga curved end 35terminatingi-nan eye 36 ('seeFigure 2) which is fastened onthei'shank ofithe bolt ZAl-as shown. Incidentally, the shoe :is provided" with upstandin lugs:36"'which? serve to receive the adjacent curved end .35: of the" rod and said: rod' ispro-' vided-atthis end-with a suitably anchoredcoiled springrii'l providingwa cushioning element. Thereis a similar coiled cushioning spring 38 on the left hand-end portion'ofthe rod [3 as 'shownin Figure l-also fitted on an irregularly curved portion" off the rod which latter portion carries a hand grip -39. The latter end, portion of the. rod

-A careful consideration of the foregoing description in conjunction with the invention as illustrated in the drawings willenable the reader to obtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged featuresof'merit and novelty sufflcient toclarifythefconstruction of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and re arrangement "of parts may be resorted to'iii actual practice so long as no departure is made from the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A hedge trimmer'of the class'shown and de: scribed comprising a,"relatively wide, fiat'elongated bed plate" which is adapted to function as a supportand rest and' whi'ch is"adapted for upholding a relatively heavy trimmer'by t'rans-' ferring' the weight of the trimmer to the'plate and fromthe plate' to ahedge or other support, and' ahedge. trimmer including a relatively-stationary toothed cutter-guard superimposed on arid rigidly mounted: a'long one marginal edge portion a of said bedplate, a cutter slidable on said cutter guard and handle means for reciprocating the cutter," the" major portion of said bed plate ex tending beyond the J corresponding longitudinal edge-10f said cutter "guard, said he'd platebein'g centrally divided by a' c -shaped notch, the vertex of the notchbeing' imclose proximity to" an edge portionof the coacting'cutter guard, said notch dividing said :bed plateinto' duplicate relatively y-ieldable wing portions, said notch also-serving for clearance purposes,-and a; handle rigidly attached'to theinterme'diate; portion of said cutter guard 'and extending at right angles from: said cutterriguard; saidi handle'beingin spaced registeringrelatione-in: respect to said notch. I

JEAN- BAPTISI'E ST.- GERMAIN. I

.REEERENCES crrEo "The v following references are of record in; thefile'xof thispat'ent:

: IUNITEDZSTATES PATENTS 2,498,564 Maxant Feb. 21, .1950 

